Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro

For being a "trail" wheel the weight to performance is exceptional. Very few wheels let me carve out swerves the way these do without being dealt some form of "offset feedback," whether it's a "loss of traction" or a "hoop + spoke + hub flex."

I've ridden approximately 20-carbon fiber wheelsets since 2017. Last year, I briefly rode a 29er Superboost Reynolds Blacklabel XC that really changed my perception of how a seemingly "heavy 7.5 lb carbon frame" trail bike could actually be quick to get up to speed, maintain superb stability, and offer excellent responsiveness. This newfound weight to performance ratio sent me off into the direction to buy these Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro wheels. To be honest, they ride quite a bit more aggressive than the 25mm internal-width Blacklabel XC specifically when cornering or swerving. I can't say climbing traction though as the XC with a 2.3" tire was absolutely wonderful! But, they do carve up the aggressive side to "trail" riding in that regard. Also, it's far easier to find a 6 to 6.5 pound trail bike frame in standard Boost hub spacing. Although these wheels weight approximately 1550 grams and the Blacklabel XC was about 1400, it's like they have a similar responsive when accelerating since the frame weights are essentially accounting for the discrepancy.

In conclusion, the Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro wheels offer sort of a "no-nonsense" sense of performance. They are kind of "so good" they don't have much to say and therefore it's more about performance than looks or weight. And if I were to highlight other manufacturers wheelsets that I've owned and ridden, I'd agree to say the build quality is top-tier. Other manufacturers may offer different forms of weight to performance. But, ultimately, it's likely at the expense of hub failures, hub engagement, spoke tension issues, and possibly simply have a carbon hoop designed out of true to begin with. In 2024, in the age where an overseas carbon fiber wheelset seems "affordable up front," I learned from other brands that I couldn't travel to ride their wheels as I would ultimately "uncover" design issues or product quality issues at the expense of loosing days of travel time or even weeks. Believe me, it's happened about 5-times for me. Even with a USA warranty and two of the competitor's wheelsets to manage the risk, it still isn't better than going with an industry best. As a honest 43-year old trail rider who's ridden a 100-carbon full suspension mountain bikes since 2017, these Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro's are my answer for being out there and cleaning trails on a "proper" full-analog 28-pound setup.

You can’t beat the engagement of the I9 Hydra’s and the rim profile is so rad!

I've been a fan of Reynolds since carbon wheels became common in mountain biking. They've always had features other brands were missing, and don't require constant maintenance. As a mechanic that had to deal with other brands, it was a no-brainer when it came time to purchase. These have been flawless. I have pushed them to limits far beyond what they are designed for and they are as true and stiff as the day they came out of the box.